ABOUT US
Alma Consulting is led by its two principals, Alison Sarginson and Mark Heslop, who have worked together for more than twenty years and jointly founded Alma in 2004.
Alma Consulting is led by its two principals, Alison Sarginson and Mark Heslop, who have worked together for more than twenty years and jointly founded Alma in 2004.
Both are trusted advisors to boards and executive teams, known for providing calm, independent judgment in complex, high‑pressure environments and for translating big‑picture challenges into clear, practical pathways forward.
Alma’s approach is deliberately practical and collaborative. We:
- Take a holistic view, recognising the complexity of the sectors our clients operate in, and considering service delivery, workforce and financial impacts together
- Focus on solutions that deliver real value and are achievable in practice
- Work alongside your team as trusted advisers, respecting internal expertise and capability.
- Provide independent, evidence‑based advice, with no hidden agenda
Alison Sarginson
Executive Director & Principal Advisor
alison@almaconsulting.co.nz
+64 21 281 1111
B.Com (Accounting & Finance)
Chartered Accountant (CA ANZ)
PG Dip (Business Marketing)
Alison is a highly experienced finance and transformation executive with more than 30 years’ experience across the public and private sectors. She is trusted by boards, chief executives, and senior leadership teams to provide calm, balanced judgment in complex, high-stakes, and politically sensitive environments, where sound decision-making and credibility are critical.
She is particularly valued for her ability to translate complex financial and operational issues into clear, implementable actions — especially where organisations are facing financial stress, system reform, operational under-performance, or structural change.
Alison combines deep technical accounting and corporate finance expertise with a strong, people-centred leadership approach and a practical focus on delivery. Her work supports leaders to make decisions that improve financial sustainability while maintaining service continuity, organisational capability, and workforce engagement.
Her experience includes strategic and operational advisory, financial sustainability and affordability analysis, restructuring and turnaround, mergers and acquisitions, performance management and reporting, and interim executive finance leadership during periods of uncertainty and sector-wide reform.
Alison has worked extensively across health and disability (public, private, and NGO), tertiary education, financial institutions, infrastructure, construction, manufacturing, logistics, retail, hospitality, and primary industries.